Report: Mountain West ‘uniquely positioned’ to commercialize quantum research

FORT COLLINS — Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico are uniquely positioned to advance the rapidly growing quantum industry to commercialization, according to a research report released Thursday by Innosphere and the National Science Foundation’s ASCEND Engine.

The report, authored by Denizens LLC, was commissioned in collaboration with the Economic Development Administration-funded Elevate Quantum because the ASCEND technology stack and quantum sensing have significant areas of overlap.

ASCEND is an acronym for Advanced Sensing and Computation for Environmental Decision-making.

Quantum theory attempts to explain the behavior of matter at atomic and subatomic levels. Because quantum computers take advantage of special properties of quantum systems such as superposition, their computing power and speed are exponentially greater than that of a traditional computer. 

Quantum sensing uses the principles of quantum mechanics to measure physical quantities such as time, gravity, magnetic fields and temperature with unprecedented precision. By using single atoms or particles, these sensors surpass the physical limits of traditional instruments, offering extreme accuracy, self-calibration and resistance to environmental drift.

The goal of the report was to identify areas of competitive advantage and collaborative potential in the region and to situate the ASCEND technology stack — which includes advanced sensing, computation and environmental decision-making — within the development of quantum technologies.

“What excites me about this report is the documentation that the Mountain West region is leading in quantum-related technologies, and the linkages between the NSF ASCEND Engine and Elevate Quantum,” Mike Freeman, CEO of Innosphere and the ASCEND Engine, said in a prepared statement. “The region’s strengths in photonics, instrumentation, and measurement sit at the interface where quantum technologies intersect with ASCEND technologies and have to prove themselves in the real world. That’s where our region focuses its energy, and it’s where we believe the most meaningful work still needs to happen.”

The final report is based on a structured analysis of global quantum patent data spanning 2010 to the present. It examines where quantum technologies are headed globally and why the Mountain West is credibly positioned to compete. The report outlines how quantum sensing connects to the broader NSF ASCEND Engine mission of advancing sensing and computation for environmental decision-making and environmental intelligence.

Key findings of the report include:

• The Mountain West has a genuine foothold in quantum sensing. With roughly 600 quantum inventions since 2010 and regional specialization nearly three times the national average, the region has built real depth — particularly in photonics, lasers, magnetometry and quantum gyroscopes.
• Colorado and New Mexico play complementary roles. Colorado leads in research scale, entrepreneurial activity and platform development. New Mexico contributes mission-oriented engineering, federal-laboratory infrastructure and real-world qualification environments. The combination of these strengths is a strategic asset for the region.
• Investment momentum is real but still concentrated. Mountain West quantum startups attracted $1.9 billion in growth capital between 2010 and 2025, three-quarters of it in 2024 and 2025 alone. Integration, qualification and repeatable deployment remain the real tests ahead.
• Global quantum competition is about system positioning, not invention volume. China leads in raw patent counts but innovates largely in isolation. The United States and its allies hold the advantage in multinational collaboration and control of the shared platforms — photonics, calibration, standards — that the rest of the quantum field depends on.
• Sensing progress is a leading indicator for the broader quantum stack. Because quantum sensing must perform under real-world conditions earlier than other quantum domains, advances here strengthen the foundations on which quantum computing and communications also rely.
• Quantum sensing belongs in the ASCEND technologies conversation, although environmental applications are still emerging. The underlying capabilities — measurement, instrumentation, optics and photonics — are increasingly relevant to environmental intelligence, infrastructure monitoring and geospatial awareness as the technology matures.

“Elevate Quantum and the NSF ASCEND Engine are aligned around the same fundamental goal: accelerating the path from quantum innovation to commercial applications,” Elevate Quantum CEO Jessi Olsen said in a news release. “With the world’s largest concentration of quantum companies already located in Colorado, the Mountain West is uniquely positioned to lead the next phase of the industry’s growth. Together, we are building the ecosystem that helps promising technologies scale into real-world products and companies.”

The report was commissioned by Innosphere and supported by funding from Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, which has supported both the NSF ASCEND Engine and Elevate Quantum throughout their work to secure federal recognition and funding as well as Colorado initiatives.

“Colorado is a global leader in the quantum race, and this vital report solidifies the strategic advantage of our Mountain West ecosystem in quantum sensing,” Eve Lieberman, OEDIT executive director, said in a prepared statement. “The collaboration highlighted here is the essential connective tissue that moves world-class research toward real-world deployment. We are proud to partner with the ASCEND Engine and Elevate Quantum, supporting Colorado’s continued leadership in this critical technology of tomorrow/”

The full report is available at Innosphere.org.

Innosphere, a 28-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit, accelerates the success of startup founders building and commercializing technology and science-based companies, using incubation programs, modern office and lab spaces, workforce initiatives, grants and venture capital.

Innosphere, a 28-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit, accelerates the success of startup founders building and commercializing technology and science-based companies, using incubation programs, modern office and lab spaces, workforce initiatives, grants and venture capital.

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